Tony Scott, Suicide, and Making Money

 WARNING: TRIGGERS









Tmz.com is reporting that as Tony Scott was committing suicide, jumping off a Californian bridge, many people were taking video, snapping pictures AND are actively shopping the videos and photos to various websites.

While the suicide of Mr. Scott is very sad, I find it abhorrent that others are trying to make money off of someone's pain.

Scott directed such films as "Top Gun," "Beverly Hills Cop II," "Enemy of the State," and "The Taking of Pelham 123." He did leave a suicide note behind but the contents have not been revealed.

Again, this is a very sad story but it made me wonder why someone would want to capture it on video.

I did a post on the Romanticization of Suicide with some people about a year ago and I could understand that aspect, for that reason, even if it is a personal intrusion on Mr. Scott's life. Sure the argument could be made that if he wanted it to be private then perhaps he should have used the confines of his home. But remember the reasons why someone would use a bridge. It was probably not for the public aspect. Those who have researched suicide and are intimately familiar with the subject know that some ways are not as effective as others.

But to capture someone's misery on tape is just cruel. I wish more people would actually talk about suicide and reach out to those that are. If I hear Suicide is selfish one more time, I'm going to scream. Suicide is still a leading cause of death in this country. Put the cameras down and call your depressed coworker to see if they are okay. Train as a crisis counselor. Understand suicide before it hits too close to your home.


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